The cup of 'uji' that is keeping learners in school

Pics courtesy

Francis Otieno Amonde, the Founder, Cup of uji knows too well that a school feeding program is an investment in education and that no hungry or malnourished pupil can actively participate in education or fun activities. This is the reason he started the cup of uji (cup of porridge) initiative to encourage more pupils to enrol and stay in school.

From grace....

It started in 2011, when Amonde, then barely coming out of his teenage years visited his late mother who was a teacher at Nyatwere Primary School in Oyugis, Homabay County. He remembers vividly, pupils running out of the mud-walled classrooms at the sound of the lunch break bell to go enjoy their lunch packed in plastic containers. He noticed that there were other pupils who would be sleeping under trees whilst their fellow pupils sat in groups enjoying their meals and catching up over the days' events.

"I asked why and was told that the pre-primary pupils were either partial or total orphans staying with their aging grandparents who couldn't afford three square meals a day. In most instances, they came to school hungry. No breakfast or dinner for the previous night. I pondered what I could do to alleviate their situation,"he says.

Amonde hatched an idea in his mind. "Why not begin a school feeding program where I shall offer to buy rice and beans for the pre-primary learners? But with what resources?" He had just completed his secondary education and had little resources to kick start the idea. "I settled on porridge which is a nutritious meal and is affordable," he recalls.

The cup of uji initiative is geared towards fighting hunger and malnutrition, stunted growth and underdevelopment and driving education amongst school children in  rural and disadvantaged communities as this hugely affects their quality of life and learning outcomes.

Impact

The total number of learners under the cup of uji initiative stands at 3,793 and is currently implemented in the following 8 primary schools;

1. Makindi Primary School, Kandara.
2. Balozi School, Kawangware.
3 Love School, Kawangware.
4. Kumpa Holy Mothers Primary School, Kajiado.
5. Silala Primary School, Ganze.
6.Kasimba Primary School, Oyugis.
7.Kositot Primary School, West Pokot.
8.Nyatwere Primary School, Oyugis.

The initiative helps feed learners in baby class up-to those in class eight with a cup of uji daily.

In these images, Amonde had just delivered 140 Kilograms of Porridge flour and 40 Kilograms of sugar to Makindi Primary School, Muranga County.

Fredrick Ochieng, a class two pupil and a beneficiary of the initiative says,"Porridge makes us come to school. Even when there is no tea at home, we are assured of uji in school."

He tells me that the schools have registered an increased enrollment and retention of learners and their grades have drastically improved as well as their well being.

How do you identify high need cases? I ask.

"The school management helps me in doing a needs assessment to know the level of need and vulnerability in terms of the student population that comes from less privileged backgrounds and also, the availability of financial resources to roll it out," he says.

'Free' is not sustainable

"At times I'm faced by financial constraints and that is why I approach different corportaes and individuals to support the campaign and keep it afloat.  I currently do not have a sustainable plan which puts the initiative at a very delicate place.We have mostly individuals, then corporates who either give one time support or who support for a given period of time such as Arimus Media Limited, JMB Tours and Travel, Executive Still Water, Gina Din Corporate Communications,  Stanbic Bank Kenya, Unga Limited, Twixt Technologies, Estudio Camouflage, and Sunflag Kenya Limited," he tells me.

Apart from the cup of uji, the 28 year old Journalism graduate is involved in distributing free monthly sanitary towels to disadvantaged school girls and inner wears  to primary school boys. He is also involved in mentorship of primary school boys and scholarships for needy students in high schools, colleges and universities.

Call for action

"I cannot do this alone. I need your help to keep these and many more learners in school."